Bunny rabbit toddler Halloween costume

Hi again.  Oh, didn't I tell you I'm going for the "Least Updated Blog of 2011" award?  I think I have a pretty good chance of winning that one...


Unfortunately I've got no big news or juicy gossip to excuse my absence.  My sewing machine has been gathering dust save for a few projects here and there.


Halloween was my last big project at the sewing machine.  Since this is probably the last time I can decide what costume L will wear (by next year she'll surely be much more opinionated), I brainstormed an outfit that would meet the following requirements:
- warm enough for wearing outside, and able to wear layers underneath
- minimal fuss to put on a toddler 
- can be assembled using stash fabrics


Inspired by this rabbit costume I found on Etsy, I fell in love with the idea of a long sleeved bunny rabbit suit.  I was browsing through some old issues of Ottobre to find a good starting point when I found the entire costume drafted for me in the form of a "piglet coverall" winter bunting, only I needed to replace the small pig ears with long bunny ears, and replace the curly tail with a white fluffball.  

Ottobre Autumn 2006, pattern #5 - piglet coverall

I raided my stash and settled on some heavy grey wool jersey - the Vera Wang stuff from Fabric.com that everyone went crazy over two years ago.  This fabric turned out to be much thicker than I expected, better for outerwear than a top or a dress.  The floral cotton print is from a thrifted bed sheet (because don't all moms who sew and blog eventually use a thrifted bed sheet in their children's garments?).

The legs and arms ended up being really long, but nothing some foldup action couldn't solve.  

 

I was even thinking that I could reuse the costume next year, or share it with someone else in need of a bunny costume, until I threw it in the warm wash with my other laundry and it felted into a small, stiff, sad little outfit.  Good thing I only spent one night making it.

Queen of the Nile

I spent most of my Halloween Saturday sewing my costume for a party that evening! I decided on Cleopatra several weeks ago, but in typical style waited until the last minute to sew it up.

A Google image search for Cleopatra will show you that most RTW costumes have these common features: a sleeveless white gown, a wide collar, a belt with an embellished flap hanging down at CF, armbands, and a sheer cape.

I used BWOF 3-2005-114 as a starting point for the dress, tracing just the bodice without the sleeves.  I added a waist seam and drew pieces for a long split front skirt.

For supplies, my first stop was the thrift store where I found what would be the main fabrics - a king sized bedsheet ($3) for the dress, and a super wide poly dupioni pinch-pleat drape in a peachy color ($4) for the accessories.

I hit up Joann for cheap gold trims and the sheer cape fabric, which turned out to the most expensive part of the outfit at $10.  I used a zipper, velcro, and elastic from my stash.

The collar and the wristbands close with velcro.

I put elastic in the armbands to help keep them tight and in place on my upper arms.

The sheer cape, edges left raw, was stitched to the CB neck and the armbands.

There are all kinds of issues with this dress that you would only allow on a Halloween costume:
 - the invisible zip is a contrasting hot pink as it's all I had on hand - but is of course covered by the collar and wig
 - all seams are unfinished
 - the curved skirt hem is super wavy

My friend who is a professional makeup artist did my face, which is always a major treat. I'm wearing the Didi lashes by Make Up For Ever.

Tim went as a race car driver and I had a hand in his costume too - I sewed all those patches on!

Hope everyone had a great Halloween!

Happy Halloween

First let me say that I am not a costume-crazy Halloween nut (like some of my friends). I dress up about once every 3 years, and that is just to get those friends off my back! Well this year my time was up once again, and I had to get creative.



The idea of dressing up as a geisha popped into my head and pretty much stuck. My husband was visiting his parents in San Francisco a week and a half ago and planned to pick up a cheap kimono for me in Japantown (is there such a thing as a cheap kimono?). But then my mother-in-law offered to let me use her yukata (a cotton kimono worn in the summer) so he didn't buy one.


Tim brought the yukata home, carefully folded and wrapped inside a special box. My jaw dropped. It was absolutely gorgeous. A crisp white cotton with a delicate pink and grey floral pattern. And I'm guessing from the 1960s.


I absolutely loved it, but this yukata was way too nice for me to wear! Let's just say this costume party wasn't exactly happening at the governor's mansion; where we were going, I could just imagine some "naughty nurse" spilling her drink all over me and not even noticing.


So Thursday I made a beeline for Joann to find cheap fabric for my costume. Thank goodness the Asian-inspired polyester brocades were 50% off because I needed a lot of it.


I actually wasn't too stressed about the sewing. I used McCalls 4304, a now out-of-print pattern with several styles of kimono tops. I had made one of the tops before. For the costume, I lengthened it to my ankles, and I lengthened the sleeves as well.

I did, though, use my mother-in-law's obi, so I didn't have to sew up one of these. I don't know what I would have done without these obi-tying instructions. And Tim. I think the wearer is supposed to be able to tie the obi herself, but my long sleeves (and inexperience) got in the way. This is one of the times that I appreciated what a perfectionist my husband can be, I think we/he did a great job considering this was our first obi-tying experience; it only took us three tries.

I found the zori (shoes) at Daiso, but not the tabi (socks) so I just went without.

The wig is for some reason called "couture geisha wig" on all the internet stores. With a name like that, how could I resist?

Here are a few pics of my non-costume version of M4304. I used a jersey fabric to make this blouse, and it really is one of my faves.

Thank goodness it's finally Halloween because the candy I bought for the trick-or-treaters is not going to last much longer in my house!